Once Upon a Time
by Sebastian DeLaOsa
Summary: After the events of Malachor V, but before he is captured by the Jedi, KOTOR's Darth Revan receives an unexpected visitor. Based on Knights of the Old Republic.


Introduction: I write fiction once every ten years, being content to critique and edit other people's fan fiction. I often read professional writer's essays on their work. The "happily ever after" quote has stuck with me for some time, but I forget who said it. Neil Gaiman, perhaps. It keys into my thoughts about the post-ROTJ EU novels – Wait! I thought we won! You mean, we have to save the galaxy _again_? How many times is that? When do we get to win? When does it actually end? – S.D.

_The purpose of human life is to serve and show compassion and the will to help others.  
_– Albert Schweitzer

_Once Upon a Time  
_– Sebastian DeLaOsa

The large chamber was dimly illuminated. Its sole occupant lightly slumbered in a bed of elaborate burgundy silk. Thin sandstone hid the deck plating, giving the entire room a natural appearance. A tall ceiling added to the effect. Vast war banners hung on the walls, trophies from the Mandalorian clans of Ordo, Fett, Nechi and others. The helm of the Mandalore hung on a polished wooden post, his armor kneeling beneath, two-handed Cortosis weave sword laying on the ground by the knees, armored gauntlets held open as if in prayerful supplication for mercy. Electronic surveillance sweepers silently and invisibly did their work, making sure their master remained undisturbed.

A stirring in the Force touched Revan's close cropped hair. He frowned, shifted and finally sat up, red sheets falling away like rain. In response to his movement, the lights rose to a slightly brighter level. He was alone in the room, save for the glowing blue form of a proud old woman who sat on the edge of his bed, her hands folded in her lap.

"Master Danielle... Dani?... What?..." he asked, confused.

She smiled, "Revan. So much like when you were a boy."

"But…"

"Malak," she said sadly.

"Malak," he echoed hollowly. "I had given orders your library was to be left alone."

"Oh, but it was," she chuckled. "Just me and the rest of the planet that was razed to the ground."

"The whole planet? But it had no value, no use to us. There was no purpose to that act."

"Perhaps we were inconvenient."

Revan's eyes darkened. "I will punish him."

"For murdering innocents or disobeying you, I wonder?"

Revan covered his face with his hands. "Dani, I'm sorry. I had foreseen Endara destroyed many times. Other times, I saw different things. I thought by not visiting, by ordering an interdiction on the library, I could save it, that I could save you." He shook his head. "I thought that maybe I had put enough pebbles in the stream, that I had changed things."

"Revan," she reached out and touched his face, "when it is time for someone to join the Force, it is time. Don't add another layer of guilt to what you already bear."

Revan sighed. He said quietly, "The Mandalorians didn't choose to attack us, Dani. They're pawns. There is something terrible beyond the Outer Rim. My Sith are just Republic forces wearing different colors, now using alien technology. What is beyond the Rim is horrifying."

Danielle looked to her hands. "We know. That's why the Council recommended waiting and the Jedi stayed behind. To conserve our strength while we draw out the true enemy. I think, in retrospect, perhaps we made a mistake. If we had committed early, ended the open threat, perhaps you wouldn't have chosen this path."

"The Council _knew? _They would have cost years of war and billions of lives! I ended the Mandalorian threat in two years! Yet one of my generals leaves me to return to you, and how do you repay her? You exile her! This isn't just a war of physicality anymore; it is a war of philosophy. The corrupt leadership of the Republic must be removed, the Council broken, and the threat from the Outer Rim purged. The galaxy must be united, there must be order. I bring that."

"Not like this, Revan! Surely you must see that? The Dark Side twists intent even as it serves. It poisons what it touches. Do you ever listen to yourself anymore? Think past the ends."

"There must be some sacrifice."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "By the Force! You weren't seduced, were you? You never fell – you _chose_. Revan, of all things!"

He frowned. "Millions were dying. I couldn't let that happen. I had to stop it. There was no other way."

She leaned forward. "There is _always_ another way. Remember when you first came to the Academy on Dantooine? You'd been there a month, we were reading old legends. Do you remember what you said when that story ended with 'And they lived happily ever after'?"

"'Happily ever after depends on where you end the story.'"

"Yes. You had insight into the way of things, even then." She looked deeply in his eyes, underlining the seriousness of her words, "Revan, there are always possibilities. Think about how your story would end if it were to stop _right now_. Would you be satisfied with the conclusion? With the story you leave behind?"

Revan looked down at the bed sheets. "I'll consider that."

"Do more than that, Revan. You don't always have a choice of when things end. Consider, too, that it wouldn't end. It would just go on without you." She shook her head. "Those early years, you were my favorite pupil. There was both life and humor to you. You don't know how much I regret that you were assigned to Kreia."

"She trained me well."

"That she did, but there is no compassion in her. Compassion is the one thing you need most. That is something another will attempt to teach you. I have seen it. Learn the lesson. It may save you, and save the galaxy."

Revan smiled crookedly, "I'll try."

She smiled sadly, "'Do. Or do not.' Your path will be much darker before it grows light, Revan. For that reason, though I love you like a son, this is our last meeting. Remember my words. And do not avenge yourself on Malak for my sake, although I know you will do as you please, not what I would prefer. Be safe, Revan. And may the Force be with you..." and she faded from view.

Revan sat for a moment in his bed, tears sliding down his face. His breathing became ragged and he clenched his fists tightly. He let out an incoherent shout of grief and anger. A stone obelisk shattered from the fury of the Force issuing from him. A cloud of dust swirled, tiny sparkling motes settling to the ground.

With the back of his hand, Revan wiped his eyes and opened a comm channel. In a clear and steady voice, he stated, "Captain Driscoll."

"Yes, Lord Revan?"

"See that Malak returns to my flagship immediately."

"He is with the fleet pursuing a Republic battle group."

"Admiral Karath can continue that action without him. Malak is to return now."

"Sir, Malak won't…" The words were cut off with a strangled gurgle.

"Captain, if you are hard of hearing, you will find hard of breathing quick to follow." Revan made a gesture.

There was a gasp over the comm. "Yes… yes, sir. Malak be… brought to you."

(Formatting break...)

Lieutenants and Captains and many in between were assembled in a semicircle on the flag bridge, all standing ram-rod straight an arm's length apart. Two dark figures stood in the center, verbally confronting each other. The taller mummed half-true words of placating supplication, the smaller radiated palpable displeasure at every nuanced phrase. The officers were commanded to witness the spectacle. Each wished they were someplace else. Anyplace else. This had gone on longer than any of them thought the Dark Lord would allow.

"I lose face when you chastise me in front of them!" Malak said petulantly.

"Then accept my judgment in good grace and stop disobeying me," Revan replied.

Malak's words were honeyed, "But Revan, I didn't disobey you! You said to leave the library alone, and I did! It is completely untouched!"

"You understood my wishes, Malak! Instead, you destroyed the whole planet!" _And you killed Master Danielle!_ he yelled without words. More calmly he added, "You tested the limits of my authority, and I will not tolerate such insubordination."

"I was not insubordinate."

"Malak," Revan warned.

"I followed orders." Malak inched closer to his lord.

"Shut up, Malak!"

"It is one planet, Revan, a demonstration of our might." Unexpectedly, Malak drew his light saber and ignited it, sweeping it in the spot where Revan was standing. Revan, however, was no longer there. Revan's own blades blazing, he turned in an arc faster than the eye could follow. In a reversed grip, Revan's crimson blade blocked Malak's while his second blade came crashing underneath Malak's chin and avulsed his jaw. The seared bone and flesh flew the length of the deck and landed with a soggy plop at the feet of one of the officers. Malak dropped his saber and fell to his knees. Hands covering his lower face, he made an animal moaning sound.

"When I want a demonstration of might, Malak, I'll provide it." Revan contemptuously switched off his sabers and placed them on his belt. He turned to one of the officers. "You, get my personal surgeon." He turned to another and pointed to the officer's foot where Malak's ruined jaw lay. "How's that for 'losing face'?" The officer looked down at his feet, gagged, and promptly retched.

Revan extended his hand. Malak's saber flew into it. "You have much to learn. Apprentice." Malak hunched over, tears streaming down his face, hands still clutching where his chin had been. Revan touched his shoulder. _I could heal you with the Force and make you whole, _Revan sent mentally, _but I'm not going to. Your disobedience, senseless destruction, and failure to kill me should mark you. As long as I am Dark Lord, being Sith does not give you license to be a mindless animal. Know that useless, broken tools are discarded. Stay useful._

Revan stood and move up the dais to his command chair. The surgeon arrived.

"Attend to Malak. When you fashion his cybernetic jaw, I require the ability to shut off his voice any time I desire. Make it tamper proof. Ensure any attempt to disable that feature injects a quick acting neurotoxin that has no antidote – ten times what it would take to kill him." Revan peeled off his right gauntlet and tossed it towards the surgeon. "Attach the signal device to this gauntlet. The signal must transmit over ordinary comm channels."

The surgeon hesitated. Malak would certainly kill him for following Revan's wishes.

Revan leaned forward. "You're doing him a favor. Or one day you will be trying to reattach Malak's head."

"Yes, sir."

"Get him out of here. And get that mess cleaned up."

"Yes, my lord."

The surgeon walked a mewling Malak out of the chamber along with another medic. Revan took a long look at the retreating medic and implanted a suggestion with the Force. The medic would replace the neurotoxin with saline solution during the operation, but no one would be the wiser. Malak, the surgeon, all of them would believe that tampering with the device would kill him. Malak would certainly do a deep probe of the surgeon to see if it was true, but he wouldn't be smart enough to think of any of the attending medics. Typical. It would be many weeks before Malak would try to disable the device, fail, and then be "lethally" injected. And Revan would laugh at him. Malak would be furious.

Revan considered. He would need to construct better defenses. He needed protection that never rested, that had no possibility of disloyalty. A hunter killer droid, disguised as a protocol droid, capable of assassinating a Jedi. That would be humorous. Yes, when Malak was back on his feet, Revan would have a surprise waiting.


End file.
